CAIR leaders including national executive director Nihad Awad take part in a protest against President Trump's travel restriction executive orders, at the Trump International Hotel in Washington in Oct. 2017. (Screen capture: YouTube)

(CNSNews.com) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations said late Thursday President Trump's plan to declare a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border was an “abuse of executive authority,” motivated by a desire to “'make America white again.”

“CAIR condemns President Trump's planned declaration of emergency powers to construct a border wall that is primarily motivated by an anti-immigrant ideology designed to ‘make America white again,’” the Islamic lobby group said. “Such a declaration would be an abuse of executive authority and would immediately invite legitimate constitutional and congressional challenges.”

“Refugee asylum seekers, unaccompanied children or undocumented immigrants seeking work or to reunite with their families do not constitute a ‘national emergency,’” it said.

CAIR has been a party to a number of legal challenges to Trump’s various immigration executive orders over the past two years.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed that the president plans to sign the government funding bill, which includes $1.375 billion to build barriers on the Southwest border, but “will also take other executive action – including a national emergency – to ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated he will support a national emergency declaration.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Democrats would review their options – which could include a legal challenge – if Trump goes ahead with a move which she said would constitute “an end run around Congress.”

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